No Liquor Consumption For Bihar Officials: Nitish Kumar

Fulfilling his poll promise Nitish Kumar on Thursday announced complete ban on liquor. Now , Bihar state officials which went dry two years ago now cannot drink outside the state or even outside the country according to the new rule of state Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. If Bihar officials caught drinking anywhere in world they will be punished.

The Bihar cabinet cleared an amendment earlier this week in state prohibition law after which bureaucrats, judges, magistrates if caught drinking anywhere in world will be punished. They may have to face dismissal, suspension or even cuts in their salary because service rules for these officials banned them only from drinking on duty have already been amended.

Principal Secretary Cabinet Coordination department Brajesh Mehrotra told reporters that the nod to amend Bihar Government Servants Conduct Rules 1976 and Bihar Judicial Officers Conduct Rule 2017 was given at a meeting of the state cabinet headed by state Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The rule would be amended in accordance with the spirit of new Liquor Law 2016.

At present this service rule is amended with two main instructions firstly no government official will consume intoxicating drink or drugs on duty or in public place. And secondly if he or she violates the rule then they will strictly adhere to it wherever they are.

Bihar is the first state to have such restrictions for state government officials and judges. Recently Nitish Kumar was asked a question in a public meeting whether bureaucrats can be put through alcohol tests and the man who asked that question alleged that state officials were still drink on duty even after the prohibition rule by state government.

Nitish Kumar said poorest of poor people in state had been consuming liquor which badly affect their families their health and their children’s education. He also added that my government is committed towards all women during election campaign and i have to keep the promise of all those women. There was a surge of complaints from women about their men and their family member’s restoring to liquor and creating nuisance which affect their family and children.

He said at a function of excise and prohibition department, although excise department earn nearly Rs 4000 crore from the sale of liquor in state but this time we have to think in favor of public and their interest and take a decision. He said poor were worst affected and by implementing this rule i hope such families are able to save some money and spend on their children nutrition and education.

Excise Minister Abdul Jalil Mastan who could not attend this meeting said ,” Since Nitish kumar had promised a liquor ban so we all are bound to fulfill this decision. We all are working on a new policy to put the ban into effect.” While Chief Secretary Anjani Kumar Singh has been instructed to formulate a new liquor policy to implement the ban.

Excise minister asked how government would compensate for huge excise loss of Rs 4000 crore in a financial year. He said,” For a welfare state , government’s job have to think about people. About the growing chorus demanding liquor ban from women especially from rural areas . We will looking for a different alternative way to generate revenue to compensate the loss , including ethanol production.”

RJD national spokesperson Manoj Jha said on revenue loss that if GST comes into effect, Bihar will generate a good amount of revenue but On the social front, it’s a reality that drinking habits had been affecting the poor peoples in Bihar and we had to find a way to stop it.

Besides of all these instructions from government it is yet not clear that how government plan to keep tab on officials outside the state or country. According to a report outside the state they may only act when there is any complaint or Random medical tests, photographs on social media or even sting operations.

This prohibition will work in Bihar just like worked in Gujarat. We made this commitment to people and now we are going to fulfill it ,said JDU spokesperson K C Tyagi. In April last year after banning liquor completely in Bihar Nitish had called it a revelonutory step In single swipe, reduced crime, prompt the harmony and improvement in habitat of people.

Last month Lalu Prashad Yadav joined hands in front of thousands of people across Bihar and was described as the longest human chain ever stood in support of liquor ban. Even BJP ministers also participated in this effort and this step to ban liquor is also spurred and praised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The longest human chain made in support of liquor ban and Officials claimed that images of the 11,000 km chain were taken by three satellites, aircraft, helicopters and drones. Nitesh kumar claimed the participation of more than three crore people in the record.